Demand for Green Building certification continues
The 2024 GBCSA Leadership Awards were presented to a deserving group of winners this evening at a Gala Dinner at the Green Building Council South Africa’s (GBCSA) 17th Green Building Convention held at Century City Conference Centre in Cape Town.
The event has gathered the top role players in sustainability in the built environment under the banner: Zero+: Net Zero Today, Climate Positive Tomorrow, which is fittingly the theme of this year’s convention. Lisa Reynolds, CEO of GBCSA, says the awardees have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to the goal of a Climate Positive future.
Lead sponsors Rand Water, Similan Properties and Raubex Building provided thought-provoking commentary on their sustainability journeys, while Boitumelo Sethlatswe from Standard Bank discussed the banking sector’s role in the Just Transition and a Net Zero future. Matthew Whalley from Balwin Properties shared the property sector’s perspective on the financing of sustainability.
Also a lead sponsor, Century City has partnered with GBCSA for many years to host their annual convention. The Century City Conference Centre building is itself a 4-Star Green Star certified building. The event is also supported by idna, the event and conference management agency responsible for designing the dynamic event experience, and the logistics behind it.
Exponential growth in adoption of green building practices
Presenting at the opening plenary, GBCSA’s Head of Technical Georgina Smit illustrated the exponential growth in the adoption of green building practices in the last ten years: “There is a clear and increasing demand for green building certification across Green Star, EDGE and Net Zero, with close to 1300 certifications to date, and counting.”
Sharing a graphic representing the growth, she explained that 2009 was when the first certification was awarded. By 2014 there were 76 completed, and by 2020 the number had risen sharply to 647. In the four years that followed, over 600 further certifications have been awarded, with the number now sitting at 1260, and rising.
“There are just over 15 000 EDGE final certified housing units in the market, with another approximately 65 000 on the way to support green homes for South Africa, inclusive of the affordable housing market. Green Star Existing Building Performance is influencing real time emissions, and there are 65 Net Zero projects showcasing the solutions and expertise to scale climate action in the property sector.”
The Green Premium
Commenting on the perception that sustainability is expensive, Smit says: “Going green shouldn’t be a guessing game, and the research shows that the green premium is not only less than expected, but it continues to fall – making sustainable choices more accessible and achievable, for all.”
The convention will conclude with former CEO of Eskom Andre de Ruyter speaking on the Just Energy Transition.
Reynolds ends: “We all need to work at creating a built environment that goes beyond simply meeting targets, aiming to foster a positive, regenerative impact. So much has been achieved on this journey over nearly twenty years, and we need to shout to the rooftops about the good work being done, in order for wider adoption to follow.”
GBCSA Leadership Awards 2024 winners
These awards have been adjudicated based on the period since the previous Green Building Convention in October last year, and 30 September 2024.
- Established Green Star:
This award recognizes people who have continually contributed to the green building economy and in particular through Green Star buildings. They are actively changing the way the world is being built and display leadership and passion in their contribution to the green building movement.
Winner: Sally Misplon, Misplon Green Building Consulting
Runner-up: Annelide Sherratt, Solid Green Consulting
- Rising Green Star:
This award recognizes people who are rising green stars and are making a significant contribution to the green building industry. The future is indeed bright with professionals like these working together for a better built environment.
Winner: Mellissa Titus, Independent Quality Assurers (Pty) Ltd
Runner-up: Mary-Anne Fechter, Zutari
- Transforming Tomorrow: moving the industry forward in asset design projects.
This award recognises leaders that have contributed towards market transformation in the new building and construction space, through innovative design and construction initiatives that demonstrate leadership. This particularly speaks to the asset rating-based tools of Green Star New Build, Interiors and Sustainable Precincts.
Winner: Newinbosch Neighbourhood Estate, Similan Properties.
Accredited Professional Company supporting: Ecolution Consulting
Runner-up: Various projects, including the projects certified this past year: 7 Parks Boulevard (As Built) and 5 Parks Boulevard (Design) by By Intaprop Property Development and Investment.
Accredited Professional Company supporting: Solid Green Consulting
- Transforming Tomorrow: moving the industry forward in existing operational performance projects.
This award recognises leaders that have contributed towards market transformation in the existing building space through sustainable management and operations of their buildings’ performance via initiatives that are innovative and demonstrate leadership. This relates especially to the existing building rating-based tools of Green Star EBP and the Energy Water Performance benchmarking tool for offices.
Winner: Redefine Properties.
Accredited Professional Company supporting: Misplon Green Building Consulting
Joint Runners-up:
Western Cape Provincial Government – Department of Infrastructure.
Accredited Professionals: internal Accredited Professionals at Western Cape Provincial Government – Department of Infrastructure.
Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development.
Accredited Professional Company supporting: Imbue Sustainability.
- Net Zero Submission
This award recognizes a project that has achieved a significant milestone in demonstrating their commitment to realising the Net Zero goals set, and shown sustainability leadership within this sector in South Africa, and Africa.
Winner: Liberty Two Degrees Net Zero Waste Retail Portfolio, Liberty Two Degrees.
Accredited Professional Company supporting: Solid Green Consulting.
Runner-up: Discovery Net Zero Waste Offices, Discovery.
Accredited Professional Company supporting: Zero Waste Technologies.
- EDGE Residential Leader:
The EDGE Residential Leader award recognizes a project, developer, EDGE Expert or EDGE Auditor that has achieved a significant milestone in demonstrating sustainability leadership within the residential sector in South Africa, and Africa. The criteria are based on annual review of highlights that include, but are not limited to:
- Post-Construction awarded projects
- EDGE Advanced certified – innovative initiatives associated with energy, water or embodied carbon
- Delivering on affordable and sustainable housing mandates
- sustainable solutions at scale, including bulk registrations and certifications
- excellent EDGE Auditor or EDGE Expert quality
Joint winners:
Balwin Properties,
Cosmopolitan Projects,
Century Property Developments and
International Housing Solutions.
7. Highest Rated Building: for an asset rating design project (Green Star New Build, Interiors or Sustainable Precincts).
This award is given to the project that attains the highest amount of points in the final Green Star rating.
Winner: Anglo-American Fitout at 144 Oxford for Interiors v1 certification by Anglo Corporate Services South Africa, with Zutari as supporting Accredited Professional Company.
Joint Runners-up:
Anglo-American for an Interiors v1 certification by Intaprop Property Development, with Solid Green Consulting as supporting Accredited Professional Company.
Newinbosch Neighbourhood, for Sustainable Precinct certification by Similan Properties, with Ecolution as supporting Accredited Professional Company.
- Highest Rated Building: for an existing operational performance project (Green Star EBP).
This award is given to the project that attains the highest amount of points in the final Green Star rating.
Winner: Serra Services, Meadowbrook Estate by Growthpoint Properties with Imbue Sustainability as supporting Accredited Professional Company.
Runner-up: No. 5 Silo by V&A Waterfront with Sow & Reap as supporting Accredited Professional Company.
- Best Quality Submission: for an asset rating design project (Green Star New Build, Interiors or Sustainable Precincts).
This award is given to the project whose submission attains the highest percentage of points targeted in the round 1 submission before round 1 clarifications, which serves as a primary indicator of the quality of the submission.
Winner: Anglo-American Fitout at 144 Oxford for Interiors v1 certification, by supporting Accredited Professional Company Zutari for Anglo Corporate Services South Africa.
Runner-up: Anglo-American for Interiors v1 certification, by supporting Accredited Professional Company Solid Green Consulting, for Intaprop Property Development and Investment.
- Best Quality Submission: For an existing building performance project (Green Star EBP).
This award is given to the project whose submission attains the highest percentage out of points targeted in the round 1 submission before clarifications, which serves as a primary indicator of the quality of the submission.
Joint Winners:
Woodmead Estate certification by Zutari (Accredited Professional Company) for Growthpoint Properties.
Absa Zeerust certification by Zutari (Accredited Professional Company) for Absa (owner) with Bidvest FM supporting
Absa Cathedral Square certification by Zutari (Accredited Professional Company) for Absa (owner) with Bidvest FM supporting.
Joint Runners up:
N1 Motor City certification by Imbue Sustainability for Boxwood Property.
Accord House certification by Misplon Green Building Consulting for Redefine Properties.
